MASTER OF PAGANISM DEGREE

Universal Life Church - ULC Seminary Paganism Course

Welcome to the sample of week four of Paganism for a New Age.Each week you will receive a discourse like this one in your email box.If for any reason, you don’t receive one during a given week, please contact amy@ulcseminary.org right away so she can re-send it to you.Please make sure you have cleared it to receive these emails.

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As we touched upon in the last discourse, every Pagan culture has brought forth magickal beings of power that may or may not influence or interfere with one’s life.Of course, by this I do not mean that some hideous creature from the depths of the Underworld is going to come after you.Neither am I going to say this cannot happen.But odds are, you will not really notice its presence unless you are trained in “the Sight” as the Celtics put it.And you must also remember that in our physical realm, we have ultimate control over what happens here.But that’s jumping way ahead, so let’s get back to the topic at hand -- magickal beings.

Magickal Beings

Angels: a wide ranged topic that covers the entire world.Angels belong to no specific religion and, as pure and divine beings, have no judgment on one’s faith.Faith is the way to the divine and Angels are semi-divine, so they guide others to the divine.Angel drawings have been found on old cave walls and other similar settings so it’s clear that these beings transcend any specific religion.You may already know the hierarchy of angels, but I personally don’t because there are about a billion angels out there and it would take several lifetimes to know all their names and powers.Suffice it to say that these beings are the sure way to the divine.They are the divine’s messengers as the wings suggest, since, in ancient times, birds have been associated with divine messages.

Further info: I recommend doing more research on these beings and their significance.A great book is Angels: Companions in Magick by Silver RavenWolf.

1"> Demons: the other side.
yes"> From what I have researched, there are no specified demons. Many people name demons to be the spirits that cause trouble and confusion, but they are not—those are just mischievous spirits! Some refer to King Solomon’s 72 demonic spirits.A word here:when you rise above the limits and boundaries set by religion and theory and the laws of magick, you encounter pure power; it does not discriminate. It is to what use that power is put that taints it.That power is pure and holy, yet it is also impure and unholy.That power is similar to the Chaos or the All. ‘Demons’ are really just connoted as evil, but there is also a different form of demons.This other form is created when people, such as criminals, die and pass into the next life.It is believed that if you cannot overcome an issue from a life, you cannot move on.And so that spirit is forced to dwell upon that issue causing it to make minor attacks at the physical world.More so on that which caused them pain.Demons only have the power we give to them, so they aren’t worth spending any time on.

1"> Guides: The teachers and helpers.These guides may be anything from healing guides, magick guides, spirit guides, or divination guides, to channeling guides.It is a very broad term.These are the higher-level beings that are your mediators between the divine and yourself.They may deliver information, energy, blessings, healings, revelations, and enlightenment on a subject to you.They exist to aid you in the path you have chosen to walk.Will they leave?Well some may because you do not need them full time; perhaps you were failing in an area of your life or path and needed that extra boost to keep going.But others are your guides for life.Those tend to be dominant over the others and you may become more close to them, but all guides are important.

TASK:

1"> It is time to find your guides!This will be a relatively easy task, but if you are a little rough on meditations than there is a separate task for you.But it is important to, in time, do both for the full experience.

Method 1: Meditation

-Start by getting into a comfortable set of clothing and in an area that will be undisturbed by sounds, people, animals, etc… if this is not possible, perhaps find the most ideal spot and play light music that is found in nature such as ocean waves, wind, etc…

-Get relaxed and try to clear your mind of everything.Just forget about the day-to-day life and focus on blankness and silence.If a thought drifts in, confront it saying, I will deal with you later, and let it pass on.

-Now in the blackness of the mind look to see a white dot or spark.Allow it to glow brightly and shed light out into the darkness.Let it open up as if it were a doorway into your ideal paradise, be it a white-sanded beach with the bluest waves or a dense green jungle place where a small clearing is made by a ring of tropical plants and flowers.

-In this place, walk around and familiarize yourself with it.Know this place as your oasis.This is your special spot.Here no one can intrude on you, no one can harm you, it is your place; it belongs to you and the divine.

-As you examine it you hear its native sounds:the birds in the jungle or the waves on the beach.Witness its native plant growth or animals.

-You continue to look around and you notice a being coming towards you.Notice what it is: is it humanoid, an animal, or a mythical creature?Remember what it looks like.

-Speak to it by first introducing yourself and asking it its name.Ask why it is what it is.Ask it any questions you desire, but remember to be polite.

-When the conversation has ended you may choose to continue interacting with it or you may choose to leave.

-If you desire to leave, give it thanks and say goodbye.

-Allow the being to leave the paradise area: this is an act of respect (you would not invoke Goddess for a ritual and then just close the circle down afterwards before remembering to release Her!).

-See the place begin to warp in one spot as if a portal is beginning to form.Let it take shape and step through it into the darkness of the mind.Look back at it and see as it begins to close and shrink into that tiny dot or spark of light.

-Slowly return your awareness from the dark of the mind into the physical setting again.First become aware of any sounds.Then slowly begin to hear your heart and gently move your fingers and toes.Now slowly move your feet and hands and then continue to move your arms and legs.Finally, move your face and your head.Now you should be fully returned from the journey.Open your eyes and take a relaxing breath and stretch.

-Good job! You have just discovered your first guide! Now it is recommended to get a journal of some sort and record what had happened and what you saw in your journey.

Method 2:Mysterious symbols.

-To do this, first find a quiet area and relax.

-Get in a comfortable position.Light candles if you wish, play relaxing music.

-Close your eyes and connect to the divine, however you may choose.This could be a prayer, an invocation, a chant, poem, or other meditation tools that are at your disposal.

-Feel that divine presence around you, in you, and throughout everything in the universe.

-View it as a light stretching across the universe in all directions.

-Once you know you are with deity say something to the effect of:“I am prepared and ready to accept my guide in my life.Let my guide become known to me in my day-to-day life by way of symbols and mysterious happenings.Let there be harm to none in this act and let it occur for the good of all involved and not.I am ready for it to be.”

-You may notice some sensations or words coming into your mind as if they came out of nowhere.These sensations are from the guide and the words are from it as well.If they are strange words that frighten, be brave and know that is just the day-to-day mind coming back into your spiritual mind; kick it out and continue.

-Write down the occurrence in a journal of some sort. And keep a journal for the next several weeks.If you have improved with your meditation and visualization skills go on to do the meditation version and meet the guide straightforward.

The Fair Folk:These beings are known worldwide, not just Britain, where they get the most press.These beings are just like humans — they can be as mean or as nice as they please. They may be rude jokesters or they could be sweet and friendly.It just depends which one you are talking about.They are known to possess great magickal power to the extent of stopping time altogether!This would kind of mess them up because time controls portals (time and space).Faery time and human time are much different. They age much much slower than humans and so are believed to be immortal.Some are known to shape-shift, which may be a learned magickal ability.They are known to assume human form as well.The only way to bind their magick and ultimately dispose of them is to confront them with iron.It will diminish their powers rendering them weak.But if you do so, do know it is not a nice thing to do. And if you take down the iron protection devices you used, they will return.If you thought they were bad before, you’re going to get a huge kick in the butt now!(It’s like Superman and Kryptonite – once removed, there is no real lingering affect.)The term Fair folk covers magickal beings such as faeries, dwarves, elves, and the like.

Further info: I recommend doing more research on these beings and their significance.There is an entire Pagan Tradition that follows the path of the Fair Folk; it is a private tradition, so it may be hard to find information on it, but here are some basics that have been allowed known by the community.But the inner traditions of their patron god and goddess, their rituals and the like are kept private.A great book for research on the Faery Realm is Witch's Guide to Faery Folk: Reclaiming Our Working Relationship With Invisible Helpers by Edain McCoy.

Nature spirits:these beings are found throughout nature.They are:

·sprites,

·devas,

·dryads,

·nymphs,

·nereids,

·oceanids,

·and other beings.

They are the beings that watch over the many parts of nature.They defend it; nourish it, and it in return it serves as their home and place of protection.

Devas are the “shining ones.”They are the immortal spirits of nature; they are its raw power made into an entity.

Nymphs are female spirits that watch over nature and protect it as well as nurture it.They are divided into several different categories:

·Dryads are the female spirits of groves and forests.They are born with a tree and it is their duty to protect and nurture the tree as the two are bound together as one.

·Nereids are female spirits of the sea.They guide ships safely to their ports.

·Naiads are female spirits of natural springs, rivers, and streams.They enjoy to bathe in the water.

·Oceanids are female spirits of the ocean.They also guide ships and protect the animals that dwell beneath the surface.

·Oreads are the female spirits that live in the mountains.They take home in caves.

·Limniads live in small lakes, marches and swamps.

·Limoniads exist in meadows and fields.

·Napaea dwell in the valleys and love to play.

Satyrs are male spirits that look similar to the Greek God Pan.They love to chase after the different kinds of Nymphs.

Further info: I recommend doing more research on these beings and their significance.The book mentioned above is also very helpful in learning more about nature spirits as this a very broad topic.Also go into nature and spend time in a particular area that interests you most.If it is a stream or particular tree go to it and spend time with it.Try to communicate with the spirit there.What does it have to say?Does it enjoy your company?Before you leave be sure to leave a small offering there as well.Perhaps a cookie or bread for local animals.

Elemental spirits:These beings are the guardians of the four elements in nature.They are the element incarnate, thus they will act in the way the element is.They are:

·Sylph of Air,

·Salamander of Fire,

·Undine of Water,

·and the Gnome of Earth.

These beings also inhabit the elemental realms.Each realm has its own ruler.

Air spirits are Sylphs and Zephyrs.They are similar in appearance to a faery but are much faster and love to flit and fly at any altitude.

Fire spirits are Salamanders and Dragons.They are fierce and searing.They are strong as they are fire incarnate.

Water spirits are Undines and Merfolk.They are friendly and love to play.

Earth spirits are Gnomes and Rockmen.They are stern and can be rude at times.

Further info: Silver RavenWolf’s book, Solitary Witch contains an entire section devoted to fully explaining each element and its Elemental, I advise looking into this book not only for this lesson but for future references and knowledge

Totem spirits:these are the protector beings.These tend to be animals in their forms.These beings are strong protectors and often many pagans will put the animal as part of their magickal name such as StormHawk.Of course, the totem spirits are by no means only known animals; they could be the mythical animals found in folk lore and mythology like the centaur, dragon, and sphinx.The totem spirits are, at most, with you for your lifetime.Some only stay a short while.They are strong protectors and often lend their qualities to you to improve your being on a larger scale.

Further info:I recommend doing more research on these beings and their significance, a great book being Animal Speak: The Spiritual and Magickal Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews.

Magickal Creatures are large in number as mythology is large. It is difficult to cover many beings in one lesson.It is especially difficult to provide for each individual’s path and so more research is a necessity here.Most magickal creatures will make themselves known by simply reading a book on the mythology of a specific culture or pantheon.One of the best books that covers many magickal creatures indiscriminately (not based on one sole culture or pantheon) is D. J. Conway’s Magickal Mystical Creatures: Invite Their Powers into Your Life.

Pantheons:

If at present you have no single pantheon you are following, I urge you now to go research several (if not all) and decide to take on one that appeals to you.It may or may not be a pantheon followed by your genetic ancestors.I am Italian and I do follow the path of Stregheria {Tuscan Witchcraft} but I am leaning more towards Rome.My ancestors were Romans.

Once you choose a pantheon and a patron pair of it is essential that you stick with that pantheon.If you are always topsy-turvy, switching from week to week or month to month, you are disrespecting the ancient peoples of that pantheon and the deities of it as well.This is a common ideal held by must if not all Pagans.

Thank you for your time and attention and I’ll look forward to sharing more with you next week.If you have any questions, you can always contact me by writing to Phoenix@ulcseminary.org.You can also post your questions in the Forum.